Begonia plant named ‘KRBARRE04’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘KRBARRE04’ characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; numerous large double bright red-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliar plane; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Begonia×hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KRBARRE04’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia×hiemalis, commercially known as Elatior Begonia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘KRBARRE04’.

The new Begonia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begonia×hiemalis ‘Barkos’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,523. The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of the parent plant in a controlled greenhouse environment in Ermelo, The Netherlands in March, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by vegetative cuttings taken in a controlled greenhouse environment in Ermelo, The Netherlands since March, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘KRBARRE04’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘KRBARRE04’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Numerous large double bright red-colored flowers that are         held above and beyond the foliar plane.     -   6. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent, ‘Barkos’, in flower size and color as plants of the new Begonia have larger and brighter red-colored flowers than plants of ‘Barkos’.

Plants of the new Begonia can also be compared to plants of Begonia×hiemalis ‘Balamon’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Ermelo, The Netherlands, plants of the new Begonia differed primarily from plants of ‘Balamon’ in flower color as plants of ‘Balamon’ had orange red-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘KRBARRE04’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet are close up views of the upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves (right) and upper, lateral and lower surfaces of developing and open flowers of ‘KRBARRE04’ (left).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring and early summer in 13-cm containers in a shaded glass-covered greenhouse in Ermelo, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Begonia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 20° C. and night temperatures averaged 18° C. Plants were pinched one time and were 13 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia×hiemalis ‘KRBARRE04’. -   Commercial classification: Elatior Begonia. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of     Begonia×hiemalis ‘Barkos’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,523. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 20 days at temperatures about             20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About five weeks at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white to orange brown in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density; plants of             the new Begonia have not been observed to form tubers. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit and form.—Upright, outwardly spreading and             mounded plant habit; overall plant shape broadly upright and             flattened globular; flowers held above and beyond the foliar             plane.         -   Growth habit.—Vigorous growth habit and moderate growth             rate; suitable for 12-cm and larger containers; under             optimal environmental and cultural conditions, usually about             13 weeks are required to produce proportional 13-cm potted             plants from cuttings; vegetative shoots are formed at basal             nodes and flowering shoots are formed at upper nodes.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; when pinched, about             seven lateral branches develop.         -   Plant height.—About 28.4 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 41.8 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 14.8 cm. Diameter: About             1.5 cm. Internode length: About 3.3 cm. Angle: About 45°             from vertical. Texture: Smooth, sparsely pubescent. Color,             developing: Close to 152B to 152C. Color, fully developed:             Close to 146B to 146C.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length: About             14.2 cm. Width: About 16.3 cm. Shape: Reniform to broadly             ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Oblique. Margin: Bi-serrate;             laciniate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Texture, lower surface: Sparse pubescence along             veins. Venation pattern: Palmate. Color: Developing leaves,             upper surface: Slightly darker than between N137B and 147A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Between 147B and 148B.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than between             139A and 147A; venation, close to 143A to 143B. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 191A; venation,             close to 146D. Petioles: Length: About 5.9 cm. Diameter:             About 8 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent.             Color, upper surface: Close to 152A to 152B strongly tinged             with close to 178A to 178B. Color, lower surface: Close to             152B; distally, close to 178A to 178B. Stipules: Length:             About 1.7 cm. Width: About 1.6 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145A             tinged with close to 179C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower form and flowering habit.—Large double rotate flowers             arranged in axillary compound cymes; usually about 8 to 14             flowers per cyme, numerous cymes in flower simultaneously             and about 435 flowers developing per plant; flowers face             upright to outwardly and are positioned above and beyond the             foliar plane.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about six             weeks after pinching; plants flower continuously year round             regardless of nyctoperiod, however plants are more freely             flowering from spring until autumn in The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about ten days on             the plant; flowers not persistent; flowering plants have             excellent postproduction longevity and typical maintain good             substance for about six weeks under interior conditions.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 15 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 13.7 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: Ranging from             about 8 mm to 19 mm. Shape: Obovate, flattened. Color: Close             to 46C to 46D.         -   Flowers.—Shape: Rotate; double. Diameter: About 6.9 cm.             Depth (height): About 3.7 cm.         -   Tepals.—Quantity per flower: About four arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 3.8 cm. Width: About 4 cm. Shape:             Roughly orbicular. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Texture, lower             surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 45B; towards the base,             close to 42A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 46A to             46B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 45B and 46B;             color does not change with development. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 45B to 45C; towards the base, close to             42B; color does not change with development.         -   Tepaloids.—Quantity per flower: About 5 to 16 arranged in             one to several whorls. Length: About 3 cm. Width: About             2.9 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate to orbicular. Apex: Rounded.             Margin: Entire to irregularly crenate; slightly undulate.             Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Texture,             lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety. Color:             When opening, upper surface: Close to 45B. When opening,             lower surface: Close to 46B. Fully opened, upper surface:             Close to 45B; towards the base, close to 43A; color does not             change with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 45C; towards the base, close to 43A; color does not             change with development.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7.7 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Angle: About 45° from lateral branch axis. Texture: Sparsely             pubescent. Color: Between 148A and 152B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Angle:             About 40° from peduncle axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 175C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed. Pistils: None             observed.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Begonia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Begonia has not been observed on plants of the new Begonia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed     to tolerate high temperatures of about 35° C. and to be hardy to     USDA Hardiness Zone 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘KRBARRE04’ as illustrated and described. 